Box car construction and method of making the same



July 16, 1940. w. s. DIETRICH 2,208,450

BOX CAR CONTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MAKING THE lSAME Filed Aug. 14, 1957 willll Patented July 16, 1940 BOX CAR CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD' 0F M'AIJHNG THE' SAME 12 Claims.

This invention, as indicated, relates to a box car construction and method of. making the same. Moreparticularly, it comprises a box car with the structural elements so related that economies of construction are brought about through the elimination of elements usually present in such structures. 1

Heretofore it has'been the practice in building box cars to provide horizontal members and upright side* posts to'forma rigid frame and to secure to such elements plates to form the outer walls of the car, such plates being attached by riveting, welding, or the like, and on the interior of such framing to secure side boards usually formed of lumber approximately twenty-two feet in length. Such side boards ordinarily are secured to the side posts by nailing them to wooden strips bolted to such posts, with reinforcing Wooden frame members at intermediate points. The inner walls of a car made in this manner are permanently secured in position, and if a portion of the wall is injured, the repairingr of the same is usually ,a matter of considerable expense for materials and labor, as the wall practicallyhas 'to be torn down and rebuilt. In suchconventional structures, the interior dimensions'of the car are somewhat reduced by reason of the sideboards being positioned inwardly of the inner faces of the side posts. Different forms of side posts are utilized in such cars, some of the side posts being in ,cross section of the Z typeV and others being in the form of various types of channels.

In welding the side plates to the box cars of l conventional type of construction, the welding heat is concentrated chiefly on the margins of the side plates and does not extend to the adjacent supporting members at least to a degree suificient to produce conditions of equal expansion. This results in the conventional type of cars in a very objectionable buckling of the side plates.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a box car construction free of the defects referred to, in the matter of providing side plates substantially free of buckling, and in eliminating the auxiliary framing members used to hold the side boards to the side posts and as intermediate reinforcements, and also in eliminating the long lengths of side boards and utilizing in lieu thereof short lengths which may be of thirty to thirty-six inches in many instances.

Another object of the invention is to so relate the side plates to the side posts that they will `provide areas of mutual support without intro- (Cl. 105i-409i ducing any objectionable projections on the outer walls of the car or any buckling of theplates. Another object of the invention is to' provide side posts of T cross section and sidedplates having inturned marginal vertical edges. cooperating'with the T heads of the side poststo `form channels to receivethe woodenv side boards forming the interior Wallof the car structure."

Another object ofthe invention` is to permit a welding operation to connect the marginal portions of the side plates to the web portion of the T side posts, which will distributey the welding heat throughout the metal of the structures being united, so that upon the cooling Vof the welded areas there will be equal shrinkage and no excessive buckling of the side plates as in the box car constructions currently in use.

Another object of the invention isy to provide adjacent the top of theside posts meansforv interlockingly engaging the inner wall members with the channelways intermediate the `Tlheads of the side posts and the inturned flanges on the metal side plates forming the `outer walls ofthe car, so that saidl side 4wall boards may be assembled with the car frame `structures without the use of nails or Wooden frame members bolted to the side posts or the `outer .car plates. k l Q A further objectofI the invention is to provide means for rmly holding the sidewall boards in position after they have 'been assembledin the channels provided bythe frame members, such means being readily removable in the event replacement is required.k

Another object of theinvention is to provide a box car construction whe-rein the interior dii mensions of the car are maintained at a maximum without'in any way weakening therstrength of the car structure. v

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a method of constructing a box car with a minimum of structural elements and with inner walls adapted to be easily installed and readily removed and repaired. Y I y Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the vfollowing description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing `and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means and method hereinafter'` fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following Adescription setting forth in detail certain means land methods embodying the invention, such disclosed means and methods constituting, however,` but UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcs several of various forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is `a fragmentary perspective view, partlyin section, showing a box car construction embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation in enlarged detail showing the wedge members for locking the side wall boards in position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken along the lines 3 3 shown in Figures 1 and 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 shown in Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating a welded side post and side plate' construction f within the channels of the frame structure;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the use of rivets to hold the side plates andvside posts in rigid relation to each other;

Figure 6 isa view similar to Figure 4 showing a welded side post and side plate construction wherein the endsl of the side boards are not `recessed and the T heads of the side posts project inwardly of the ends thereof;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a construction like that illustrated in Figure 6, but having the T side posts Connected to the inwardly turnedy portions of the side plates by car I is provided with a floor 2 supported on the'sillsI and longitudinal frame members 3 in the conventional manner, and having at spaced intervals side posts 4 rmly secured to the members of the understructure 2, 3, and to the roof structure 6. 'Ihe side posts may be spaced from each other any distance found desirable, but it hasbeen found that a spacing of from thirty to thirty-six inches satisfactorily provides for a very rigid box car construction as well as one permitting large economies in the way of construction and maintenance.

The side posts 4, it will be noted, are structural shapes of T cross section, the head portion 'I `as well as the web portion 8 being tapered to narrow width adjacent their free outer edges.

The head portions of the'side posts are faced inwardly with the extreme outer end 9 of the web portion of each post in alinement with the outer side walls of the car. Y

The outer side walls are formed of sheet metal platesy II, which, as shown more particularly in Figures 4 to 7, are bent inwardly at each vertical edge so as to provide areas I2 to .conform to the surface of the outer portion of the web of the T section side posts, and at a point lapproximately at the mid distance of said web are turned into a position substantially parallel with the `main body of the side plates to form flanges I3 spaced rfrom the head portions I of the side posts to provide channels I 4. y

The side plates may be secured in various ways to the outer portions of the webs of the side posts, the constructions shown in Figures 4 and 6 being Welded constructions with the outer welds I5 flush with the outer sides of the plates and with the innerwelds I6 forming llets in the corners of the channels formed, as stated, by the respective head portions 1 of the side posts and inturned anges kI3 of the side plates.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 5 and 7 the intermediate areas I 2 of the side plates may be secured to the outer web portions of the T side posts by means of rivets I 1. It is usually desirable in such construction` to utilize the outer welds I5 to unite the outer ends of the webs of the side posts to the adjacent portion of the side plates to provide an entirely smooth outer surface of the entire car side.

Ihe welding operation, as has been indicated,

, canr be carried out in every instance without introducing an unequal distribution of the welding heat with the resultant buckling of the side plates upon the cooling of the welded portions.

It will be noted that in the form of construction shown in Figures 4 and 5, the ends of the side boards I8 are formed with recesses I9 so as to provide a smooth inner wall surface throughyout the interior of the car.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the side boards 2| are of a width to t within the channels I4, and the head portions 'I of the T side posts project inwardly of said side boards.

It will be noted that under either form of construction the side boards lie wholly outwardly of the inner surface of the T kheads of the side posts, and that infthis manner the maximum in side car width is greatly increased over the car width permissible when the side boards of the inner walls are secured to the inside faces of the head portions I of the T cross section side posts. In this manner the cubic capacity of the box car is considerably increased over the full extent of the side wall from the floor to the roof.

The side wall boards are preferably formed with tonge and grooved longitudinal edges, respectively, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, but may have beveled yupper and lower faces', as shown in Figure 9,4 as will be hereinafter described.

It will be noted that the side boards are engaged with the side posts through the mereloperation of sliding the end portions of said side boards into the channels I4. In order that this operation may be carried out, the upper portions of the side posts are provided with notchesI 22, as shown more particularly in Figure 1, the lowermost of the side boards resting against the floor of the car and the boards thereafter successively resting upon each other progressively toward the roof.

In order to hold the boards rmly in position, a locking means is provided. Such locking means may take various forms, but the form illustrated has the advantagesof simplicity and strengthr without in any way detracting from the appearance of the interior wall surface of thecar. This particular construction is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and comprises" a wedging device formed of a lower side board section 23 having a beveled upper face 24 and an upper side board section 25 having a beveled under face 26. r'I'he beveled rfaces of the respective side boards 23 and 25 are square recess 30 formed in the outer face of the side board member 23 and having its free end 33 provided with screw threads and engaged within a screw-threaded sleeve 34. The sleeve is formed with a cylindrical head portion 35 adapted to be received in a countersunk cylindrical recess 36 in the side board member 25. In order to rotate the sleeve to draw the blocks toward each other in wedging relation or to release the same, the cylindrical head 35 is provided centrally with a hexagonal lug 31 which may be enH gaged by a socket wrench, preferably of the ratchet type (not shown), permitting rotation of the sleeve in either direction upon reversal of the ratchet and also permitting the positioning oi the bolts closely adjacent the roof of the car.

The wedging device, it will be noted, is interposed between the uppermost side wall board Il and a Xed abutment 38 which may be a timber secured to the roof of the car and which may have a metal face plate 39 secured to the inner face thereof and projecting downwardly slightly beyond the lower surface of the member 38, thus providing a retaining iiange to prevent acciden tal displacement of the wedging device, but not interfering with the installing or removal of said wedging device when the two elements thereof are separated. y Y

The construction described with reference to the sides of the car may be also utilized in the ends thereof, although, under present practice, the end members of the car are usually specially formed structures and the end walls in such instances may be formed of `Vcontinuous end boards extending completely across the car. Inthe event the shorter lengths oi end wall boards are to be used, it will be desirable to form the corner posts of the car of such shape as to provide parallel flanges on each of its sides, and the inturned flanges on the side plates and corner plates are necessarily somewhat longer and bent angularly at their central portions where they abut the web of the corner post. In such case, the corner post in `cross section will be in the natureof an H plate deformed to provide parallel flanges on v each side uniting with the web atan angle of 45.

If, however, the ends of the car are made of conventional transversely ribbed integral end plates, the side plates of the car 'may be united thereto in the same manner as the same are united to the web portions of the rT section side posts, and an additional angle strip may be secured to the end portion of the car inwardly of the flanges of the side plates and spaced therefrom a distance equal. to the spacing of the T head from the flanges to receive the eXtreme end portions of the short side boards at each respective corner portion of the car.

The box car construction above described involves a novel method of assembly in that it comprises the steps of providing a base, mounting frame members on said base to form a supiporting structure, mounting plate members on said frame members to cooperate with said frame A members to position horizontal side wall boards,

and engaging such horizontal side boards with said frame members intermediate the cooperating frame members and plate members and locking the same in position.

The wedging device shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, may not be readily adaptable for installation in some types of cars, and a simplified structure is shown in Figures 8 and 9, wherein the wedging member coacts with a anged angle bar 4i at the upper edge of the side walls of the car.

The outer wall plates il are engaged within the downwardly turned flange of the bar 4|, and the side wall boards 42, 43 are engaged at their side edges inthe channels intermediate the flanges on the side plates Il and the head portions of the T shaped side posts, in the manner heretofore' described. However, as is shown in Figures 8 and 9, the channels may be made somewhat narrower, and the ends of the side boards may be formed with recesses 40, 50, corresponding to the recesses I9 shown in Figures 4 and 5,.on tiiciryouter faces a's well as their inner faces. This construction will permit the use of T side posts of somewhat less extent of web and will reduce the air space intermediate the outer and inner side walls and will provide for slightly greater cubic capacity in the interior of the car structure.

The upper side wall board 42, in the form shown inFigure 8, is provided with an inclined or beveled upper edge against which the beveled under surface of the wedge member 44 engages. The wedge member 44 is provided with a plu rality of apertures through which a stud bolt 45 is engaged, such bolt preferably having a shoulder spaced from its outer end `and having its extreme outer end riveted against the outer face of the ange of the angle bar 4|. The inner free end of the stud bolt 45 is screw-threaded and is engaged through an aperture in the wedge member and is drawn into locking position by means of a nut 48 bearing against a lock washer 49. This construction provides for ready accessibility to the means for tightening the wedge members,

should the occasion require, to take up any looseness which may be brought about through shrinkage of the side boards. It also permits ready release of the wedge members for the replacement of any injured side boards. It will be obvious that upon the release of the wedge,i block, any single injured side board may be brok en at an intermediate point and removed without removing the entire series of side wall boards, and a substitute side wall board of standard construction may then be placed immediately beneath the special` side wall yboard 42 preliminary to the tightening of the wedge block 44.

In the form of construction shown in Figure 9,-the angle bar 4l isl provided with an aperture in its depending ange to receive the outer end of the stud bolt 54 having the riveted head 55 to hold it securely against `the angle bar. The entire series of side boards in the instanceshown may be formed of `elements 52, 53, each having upwardly andoutwardly inclined bevelediaces 58 on both their upper and lower longitudinal edges. In place of utilizing a wedge member in the form of a wooden boardnM, such as is shown in Figure 8, a metal channel member 5i is provided,

the channel being turned inwardly and having an upwardly and outwardly inclined under face adapted to bear `against the upwardly inclined upperiace of the uppermost side wall board 52. In this construction the side wall boards are not provided with tongues and grooves, but are locked through thecoaction of their inclinedl faces. The ends of the side boards are held in the manner Yheretofore describedin the channels intermediate the iianges on the outer plates Il and the head portions of the T side posts. The channel members 5l areperforated at suitable points to receive .the stud bolts 5,4, and. nuts 55 are engaged on thescrew-threaded ends `of the stud bolts and bear against the lock Washers 51, so that upon thetightening of the channel members 5i,

satisfactory wedging action may be had against the entire series of side wall boards intermediate cach of the T side posts heretofore described.

The invention, as has been indicated, provides for a very rigid box car construction wherein the knumber of parts has been reduced to a minimm tures all greatly assist in reducing the time required for fabrication of box cars of standard outside dimensions but with increased carrying capacity, and thus effects economies not only in the fabrication of such structures but in the use of the same during their entire period of service.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the means and steps herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means `be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. A box car construction having in combination base and end members, T-shaped side posts with their webs turned outwardly mounted in spaced relation along the lateral edges of said base, the outer edges of said webs in alinement with the marginal portions of said base, a plurality of outer plates having their ends bent to form inwardly turned channel marginal portions secured to said webs with the inner anges of said channels in spaced relation to the head portions of said T-shaped supports providing parallel vertical channelways at the sides of said plates intermediate said T-heads and inner plate iianges, a plurality of side wall boards having their ends engaged in said spaced channelways, and means adjacent the upper ends of said channelways for permitting the insertion of said side wall boards in position.

2. A box car construction having in combination base and end members, T-shaped side posts with their webs turned outwardly mounted in spaced relation along the lateral edges of said base, the outer edges of said webs being in alinement withthe marginal portions 'of said base, a plurality of outer plates having their ends bent to form inwardly turned channel marginal portions secured to said webs with the inner lianges of said channels in spaced relation to the rhead portions of said T-shaped supports providing parallel vertical channelways at the sides of said plates intermediate said T-heads and inner plate flanges, a plurality of side Wall boards having their ends engaged inl said last named channelways, means adjacent the upper ends of said channelways for permitting the insertion of said side Wall boards in position, a roof supported above the upper ends of said supports, an abutment member seculed beneath said roof, and means disposed intermediate said abutment member and the adjacent side wall boards to secure the side wall boards firmly within the channels.

3. A box car construction having in `combination base and end members, T-shaped side posts with their webs turned outwardly mounted in spacedrelation along the lateral edges of said base, the outer edges of said webs being in alinement with the marginal portions of said base, a plurality of outer plates having their ends bent to form inwardly turned channel marginal portions secured to said webs with the inner flanges of said channels in spaced relation to the head portions of said T-shaped supports providing parallel vertical channelways at the sides of said plates intermediate said T-heads and inner plate anges, a plurality of side wall boards having their ends engaged in said last-named channelways, means adjacent the upper ends of said channelways for permitting'the insertion of said side wall boards in position, a roof supported above the upper ends of said supports, an abutment member secured beneath said roof,r and an expanding and locking device disposed intermediate said abutment member and the adjacent side Wall boards to secure the side wall boards firmly withinr the channels.

4. A boxy car construction having in combination base and end members, T-shaped side posts with their webs turned outwardly mounted in spaced relation alongthe lateral edges of said base, the outer edges ofr said webs being in alinement with the marginal portions of said base, a plurality of outer plates having their ends bent to form inwardly turned channel marginal portions secured to said webs with the inner anges of said channels in spaced relation to the head portions of said T-shaped supports providing parallel vertical channelways at the sides of said plates intermediate said T-heads and inner plate anges, a plurality of side wall boards having their ends engaged in Said last-named channelways, means adjacent the upper ends of said channelways for permitting the insertion of said side wall boards in position, a roof supported above the upper ends of said supports, an abutkment member secured beneath said roof, and an expanding and locking device in the form of cooperating wedge blocks adapted to be drawn toward each other and exert vertical wedging pressure against the adjacent abutment member and side wall boards intermediate each pair of vertical side posts.

5. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, and side walls formed of spaced side posts, outer plate members, and innerside wall boards, said spaced side posts being provided with flanges adjacent the inner ends thereof, said outer plate members being bent at their lateral margins to provide inturned flanges in spaced parallel relation to the flanges of said side posts, providing channelways between said post flanges and said parallel lianges, and said inner side Wall boards extending horizontally and being placed one above the other in vertical series with their ends engaged in and positioned by said channelways.

6. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, side walls formed of spaced side posts,

outer plate members, and inner side wall boards,k

said spaced side posts being provided with flanges adjacent the inner` ends thereof, said outer plate members being bent at their lateral margins to provide inturned flanges in spaced parallel relation to the flanges of said side posts, providing channelways between said post flanges and said parallel anges, and said inner side Wall boards extending horizontally and being placed oney above the other in vertical series with their ends engaged in and positioned by said channelways,

and means for locking said side Wall boards firmly within said channelways.

'7. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, side walls formed of spaced side posts, outer plate members, and inner side wall boards, said spaced side posts being provided with flanges adjacent the inner ends thereof, said outer plate members being bent at their lateral margins to provide inturned flanges in spaced parallel relation to the flanges of said side posts, providing channelways between said post flanges and said parallel flanges, and said inner side wall boards extending horizontally and being placed one above the other in vertical series with their ends engaged in and positioned by said channelways, and side Wall boards providing wedging means disposed adjacent the upper portion of said series of side wall boards for locking the same firmly within their channelways.

8. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, side walls formed of spaced side posts, outer plate members, and inner side Wall boards, said spaced side posts being provided with flanges adjacent the inner ends thereof, said outer plate members being bent at their lateral margins to provide inturned flanges in spaced parallel relation to the anges of said side posts, providing channelways between said post flanges and said parallel flanges, and said inner side wall boards extending horizontally and being placed one above the other in vertical series with their ends engaged in and positioned byv said channelways, side Wall boards providing means for locking said side wall boards rmly Within said channelways, and means adjacent the upper portion of said side posts permitting the ready removal of any of said side wall boards upon release of said locking means.

9. A box car construction havingin combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, side wall posts secured to said iioor member with the outer portions of said posts in alinement with the marginal portions of said iioor member, said side wall posts being formed of metal of T-shaped cross section with the head portions positioned inwardly, side sheets positioned intermediate the webs of said side posts and formed with vertical marginal portions overlying the Webs of said side posts adjacent their outer portions and securely fastened thereto, and having flanges at their free edges bent parallel to the body of said side sheets, said anges being in spaced relation to the said head portions and forming channels therewith, side wall members disposed one above the other intermediate said side posts with the end portions thereof engaged in and positioned by said channels,` and means for holding said side Wall members in firm relation to said channels. K

10. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, side wall posts secured to said floor member with the outer portions of said posts in alinement with the marginal portions of said floor member, said side Wall posts being formed of metal of T-shaped cross section with the head portions positioned inwardly, side sheets positioned intermediate the webs of said side posts and formed with vertical marginal portions overlying the webs of said side posts adjacent their outer portions and securely fastened thereto by means of vertically extending welded seams at their outer and inner points of contact with said Webs, and having flanges at their free edges bent parallel to the body of said side sheets, said. flanges being in spaced relation to the said head portions and forming channels therewith, side wall members disposed one above the other intermediate said side posts with the end portions thereof engaged in and positioned by said channels, and means for holding said side wall members in firm relation to said channels.

11. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, and a plurality of side posts disposed in spaced relation along the respective side edges of said floor, said side posts being of T-shaped cross section, side sheets intermediate said side posts, such side sheets having inwardly turned margins with iianges at the vertical edges thereof, said iianges being in spaced relation to the outer wall portions of said side sheets and also in spaced relation to the heads of said side posts, a plurality of vertical welded seams joining said side sheets to the webs of said side posts at their outer and inner lines of contact,` respectively, a plurality of side Wall boards positioned horizontally within the channels intermediate the heads of said side posts and the iianges of said side plates, the ends of said side boards being gained to bring the inner faces of said side boards in alinement with the inner faces of the T-heads of said side posts.

l2. A box car construction having in combination floor, end and roof members of conventional structure, a plurality of side posts disposed in spaced relation along the respective side edges of said floor, said side posts being of T-shaped cross section, side sheets intermediate said side posts, such side sheets having inwardly turned margins with flanges at the vertical edges thereof, said flanges being in spaced relation to the outer Wall portions of said side sheets and also in spaced relation to the heads of said side posts, a plurality of vertical welded seams joining said side sheets to the webs of said side posts at their outer and inner lines of contact, respectively, a plurality of side wall boards positioned horizontally within the channels intermediate the heads of said side posts and the flanges of said side sheets, the ends of said side boards being gained to bring the inner faces of said side boards in alinement with the inner faces of the T-heads of said side 

